From Bariloche, we take the small road along the lake (limited between 60 and 80km/h) to go to Villa la Agosturawhere we booked a night. Villa la Agostura is the starting point or the end point of the road of the 7 lakes (ruta de los siete lagos). Lonely Planet ranks it among the 20 things to see in Argentina.

Argentines don’t really understand why it takes up to 3 days to drive along this 72km road. “It’s just a beautiful road,” they tell us. But when we tell them that we really want to stop at each of the lakes, spend a night in Villa la Agostura, another one in San Martin de los Andes, they understand better.

Part 1: Travel Diary Part
2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Diary

Our youth hostel (Don Pilon, link Agoda), not too far from the city center, is full of charm. On my arrival, I am entitled to the affectionate purr of a red cat. There is even a parking lot behind the hostel for our little car.

By putting Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes on the GPS, the GPS brings us to Bahia Brava Bay, a splendid place where we do not get tired of the shades of blue, the jetties and the transparent water of the lake Nahuel Huapi.

There is a lot of wind though. Some nice people are sunbathing on the beach.

20m away, the other bay is much more quiet. There is no wind, no waves. Just clear water, a few boats and a beautiful pier. There are more families with children here than the other bay.

This small town looks like a Swiss village, or Christmas chalets… all year round.

We opt for a homemade ice cream and homemade chocolate. It’s cheap (100$AR for everything) and it’s super good. Already, the smell when we enter the store is irresistible.

As with all Argentine glaciers, you must first pay and then show your ticket before you get your ice cream.

It’s the first time that we feel the Christmas atmosphere at this point. It’s true that the chalets help a lot, despite this very pleasant spring weather.

The chocolates at Mamuschka are a real eye-catcher.

As well as the cute “home” cushions

We go to the hairdresser because JB’s hair is much too long. Despite our level in Spanish, we still manage to communicate well with the hairdresser and manage to make jokes.

Small detour to the supermarket to buy meat. And that will be all for Villa la Agostura. Thanks to the super fast Wifi, I can upload a lot of pictures for you and JB will finally be able to work tonight. Next step : Villa Traful

Part 2: Practical Tips

Tips

• If you aren’t motorized, you should know that the downtown area is 2-3km from the lakes, you must either walk or rent a bike otherwise you may not see anything.
• There are plenty of buses serving Villa la Agostura from Bariloche.
• The road of the 7 lakes can be done in excursion (800$AR to 900$AR) from Bariloche or San Martin de los Andes. However, we find it great to be able to do it at our rhythm, the lakes are so beautiful that we want to linger there.

Budget

• Auberge Don Pilon (recommended): 250$AR/person in dormitory link Agoda
• Car rental at Correntoso: about 3300$AR over 3 days, premium insurance included
• Supermarket: 190$AR for 1 meal, 2 persons
• Haircut at the hairdresser: 150$AR
• Artisanal ice cream: between 35$AR and 70$AR
• Handcrafted chocolate: 35$AR per 100g